Is bamboo drought tolerant?

As of this post, California is in the grip of a pretty serious drought - one that has been around for about two years, but in 2014 turned quite severe.  Pretty bad.  Though thankfully the March 2014 storms have provided some relief, but certainly the drought is not over by any stretch and this summer will prove to be a challenging one.  As I know that this is top of mind for many of you - I wanted to address a very common question that I have been asked over the years - "Is bamboo drought tolerant?"

Yes, somewhat - but it really depends.

OK, so not the clearest answer, but let me explain.

Clumping bamboo tends to be more drought tolerant that its running cousin because it grows slightly deeper, on average.  This lends the ability to have more water supply opportunities for the plant, much like a tree with a deep taproot would.  However, generally this would require the bamboo to have a mature, established root mass.  So, if your planting a brand new bamboo plant, don't expect to treat it like a California Poppy (which is a very drought tolerant California native plant).  A new bamboo plant, like most plants, require regular water in the first full going season for the roots to grow and become established.

Bambusa ventricosa 'Buddha's Belly Bamboo' and Bambusa multiplex 'Alphonse Karr' (both far left of photo) doing well in our water efficient front yard.  By removing the front yard grass and watering efficiently in both the front and back yard, we realized a 58 percent reduction from the same time last year.

After that, you could be moderately miserly, to some extent with water, but the trade-off is that the growth of the bamboo plant will slow and it won't be as lush as it would with a consistently moist soil.  But there are limits, and your bamboo plant will show it with yellowing leaves and curling leaves.

So, one other myth to dispel (bamboo carries a lot of myths with it) - bamboo likes soggy, wet soils.    In fact, many visualize bamboo you see in the jungle - jungles get a lot of rain and thus all bamboo must like soggy soil.  Well, not really.  Some bamboo can tolerate soggy soils, but the vast majority do not.  If fact, soggy soils over an extended period of time lead to root rot, which will ultimately kill the bamboo plant outright.  Don't get me wrong, bamboo likes regular watering, like an average medium water use plant, and can tolerate some dryness, but moderation is the key.

So - with this drought - here are some easy strategies to keep your bamboo happy and while using water wisely.

- First, mulching is a great way to extend moisture around the plant and slow evaporation of water.  Plus a good mulch offers other fertilizing benefits to the bamboo as well.

- Supplement your water that would have normally gone down the drain.  Many Californians are using a low tech solution to capture and use water that would have normally just gone down the drain.  While warming your bath or sink water, put a bucket to capture that water.  Use the water (at room temperature) to water your bamboo.

- Water your bamboo plant in the early morning to minimize evaporation and allow the plant to maximize the intake of the water provided, before air temperatures rise.

Tell-tale sign that your bamboo needs watering.  Curling of leaves.

- Pay attention to your bamboo plant - if you get leaf curling, its a signal that your bamboo needs to be watered.  Short periods of dryness are OK - but don't push it.

For many, droughts offers unique opportunities to learn and adapt to extraordinarily dry conditions.  Bamboo can survive in a drought, it just takes a deeper understanding of the plant and its needs, coupled with common-sense water efficiency practices that apply really to any type of landscape circumstance.

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo Nursery - Rocklin
www.madmanbamboo.com
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The best containers to grow bamboo in...

Ah, a moment of spare time - I finally have a chance to get back to this blog, break the radio silence and talk about a topic that I have been thinking about and get asked about alot - "What kind of container should I use for my bamboo?"

Bamboo lends itself to growing quite well containerized.  In most cases, due to my relatively cautious nature and past experience, will advise most people to always containerize their running bamboo, due to its invasive nature when uncontrolled.  Additionally, there are several clumping bamboo, such as Bambusa ventricosa 'Buddha's Belly Kimmei' that show off its best characteristics (bulbous 'belly' culms') in a container (pictured below).

So what is an ideal container for bamboo?  Here are some ideas:

1.  My favorite container is a metal horse trough, like these that I bought today.  Simple, sturdy and best of all, the sides are at a 90 degree angle.  Additionally, bamboo likes horizontal space and depth is not a priority (2 feet is typically adequate for depth for most bamboo).  Be sure to drill a few drain holes at the bottom for good drainage.

2.  I always stay away from pots that taper at the top - always go for straight side or pots that are "V' shaped.  When it tapers, the bamboo root mass will tend to fill the pot's growing space completely making any future attempt to pull the the bamboo out an exercise in futility.

3. Always get a container that allows water to drain.  Bamboo does not like to sit in water and 'wet feet' will cause the plant long-term harm up to death over time.  Word of caution though, if you have a container that has a running bamboo and the container is on the ground, be sure to put a paver underneath the drain hole.  Otherwise running rhizomes, will escape (pictured).  This does not apply to clumping bamboo.

4. Think outside the box - bamboo is a unique plant - use the recommendations above, but get creative and bring out the best in your beautiful, unique bamboo.

Use these recommendations and your bamboo will be happy and healthy in its new home above the ground. Cheers!

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo Nursery - Rocklin, CA
www.madmanbamboo.com
Facebook - Mad Man Bamboo
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Growing bamboo in containers.....

Paul from Boston sent me an e-mail regarding growing bamboo in pots. Yes, this can be done and if you live in a suburban garden like mine, its a good way to enjoy running varieties without having them in the ground. For those living on a small lot with neighbors nearby, I never recommend running bamboo unless (1) you have a rhizome barrier installed or (2) they are container grown. Unlike clumping bamboos, most running bamboos can be very aggresive and can be a source of neighbor-to-neighbor strife.

I have had success growing bamboo in a containers in a couple of different ways. My black bamboo (phylostachys nigra), pictured above, is growing with some gusto in a metal horse trough that I got for free from my neighbor. Depending upon the style of your garden, they can be attractive.

Using a drill bit made for metal work, I drilled several holes in the bottom, created an airgap by placing the trough on bricks. This is dome to prevent rhizomes from escaping the container and into the ground below.

I have also planted four runners in glazed ceramic pots (pictured is phylostachys bambusoides "All Gold"). If have read some literature recommending unglazed to let the soil breathe, but on the flip side unglazed during the summer tends to dry out the soil in the pot. Especially here in Sacramento, where we get several days of temps over 100f in the summer. That can mean a dead bamboo plant - real quick. All that said, I have had nothing but success using the glazed pot.

Like the trough, I have the glazed pots sitting on granite pavers I had left over from our front yard landscaping project last spring.

The other question from Paul is the size and height of container grown bamboo plants. My observation is that they do not get as big or robust as a running bamboo planted in the ground. That fact is true for most plant's size as the pot physically controls the development of the root growth.

Container grown bamboo put in a decorative container adds style and interest to any garden.

Try it out sometime....

Sean

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